School Defends Teaching 5-Year-Olds a 'Transgender' Lesson

A school in Maine has drawn flack for introducing elementary school students to the concept of transgenderism by reading them the book I Am Jazz, about a kid "with a boy's body but a girl's brain."

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Some parents complained -- prompting Mitchell Primary School to issue an apology to parents that they weren't notified of this "sensitive" nature of this lesson plan beforehand. Some, it seems, would have preferred the lesson not be taught at all.

But I say the school did the right thing in introducing kids to Jazz. I'd even argue that there's nothing "sensitive" about the topic, given it's the way kids are born.

Fine, if the school wants to notify parents beforehand, I see no harm in that -- provided that isn't an opportunity for parents to opt their kids out of the lesson entirely.

Here's why: It's a school's job and responsibility to broaden a child's mind beyond the perspective of their parents. Because if not, kids would merely end up clones of their parents! That would mean that kids of parents who are homophobic will end up homophobes themselves. It would mean kids of parents who believe "Jesus heals all" would never learn the miracles of modern medicine.

I hope at least some parents appreciate that their kids are learning about Jazz and other topics, even if it makes them a tad uncomfortable. That just means a school is doing its job.

How do you feel about schools teaching kids about topics that make you uncomfortable?